All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium- expressive, not very well defined nose with fine dark red and dark berries along some hints of tobacco. On the palate this is a touch astringent with lots of herbs, a bit too green, but with a nice, rather dark fruit core. Overall relatively fine tannin structure with a slightly elevated acidity and a touch of nice creaminess to the texture. Not overly interesting, not enough depth but overall ok. Solid 89 pts

Decanting: Needs no extended decanting.

Group rank: 31st out of 33 reds
Group average score: 89.0

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium expressive nose with dark ripe fruit, a bit jammy and what feels like a touch old oak. On the palate, this seems less ripe but shows a touch of greenness and a high but relatively well integrated acidity but relatively fine, round tannins. Overall not that complex, not enough fruit, a touch too extracted. This is a solid wine but not one to chase. 88 pts.

Decanting: Some air would help to make it more balance. 1-2 hours advised

Group rank: 19th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 91.5

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium expressive nose with dark berries but some fine strawberry & floral aromas too. Some slight green notes too. On the palate this lacks a touch fruit to balance the herbal and green notes. Overall ok balance at best, missing a touch of sweetness. Not very complex and rather short. No winner here but no obvious fault either. 86 pts.

Decanting: Needs no extended decanting but probably some air would help to make it more balance. 1-2 hours advised.

Group rank: 32nd out of 33 reds
Group average score: 88.5

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Not very expressive nose, not much coming through. With time very ripe fruit and oak shine through. On the palate this lacks fruit, is too acidic and the tannins are slightly coarse. Not much depth and expression. No winner. This was the weakest wine of the tasting. The 84 pts seem rather generous.

Decanting: Not sure if more air would have helped here. But I would at least try to give it an hour or two.

Group rank: 33rd out of 33 reds
Group average score: 88.3

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium expressive, slightly alcoholic nose with ripe dark fruit but a nice menthol note. On the palate this is quite good with lots of spices (christmas spices?), menthol notes, and ripe dark red and darker fruit. The tannin structure is quite round and the acidity is well integrated. Slight chocolate notes on the finish. This is a good wine with a good complexity but especially good definition. The problem is that towards the finish the wine is drying out and the oak use seems a bit excessive. Additional points deducted for the slight heat on the nose. 91 pts.

Decanting: I would give this 2 hours in the decanter which could help to integrate the oak a bit better.

Group rank: 22nd out of 33 reds
Group average score: 91.3

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium expressive, slightly alcoholic nose with quite ripe dark red fruit. Not very inviting as it seems also a touch acidic. On the palate this is clearly better and has a fine red fruit core with some fine herbal aromas knitted around it. A slight touch of minerality. Not overly deep but well made, round and pleasant to drink. A touch hard on the attack the wine becomes finer, rounder and quite balanced with a well integrated acidity. No star but a very solid wine. Canon clearly stepped up their game with a string of great vintages from 2015 onwards. Better focus on these years - the 2012 is not comparable with the newer wines. 92 pts but the group liked it a bit more than I did

Decanting: A short decant should be sufficient.

Group rank: 7th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 93.5

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Expressive nose full of ripe but still fresh enough dark red and blue fruit, the typical Cheval coffee/toasty aromas, some herbal notes, minerality. Complex, precise, inviting and seductive. On the palate this continues with fine ripe but not too ripe dark red, blue and some darker berries, herbs, coffee, toast, hints of chocolate and with a good minerality backbone. Quite round and elegant, fine creamy texture, no excess weight, fine, velvety tannins and well-integrated acidity. This is a lot of fun to drink, quite complete. Has good length, high complexity, superb precision. A great wine, yes ripe and probably not for the purists but easily worth 95 pts. Cheval again delivers, in its typical fashion (easily detectable in a blind tasting) and it is certainly one of the big names that delivers the most pleasure early on and throughout its life.

Decanting: This was good from the go and didn’t need much air in the glass to open up. Needs no extended decanting.

Group rank: Shared 3rd out of 33 reds
Group average score: 95.0

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Expressive on the nose full of fresh herbs, menthol, dark red and dark fruit, some faint coffee/toast aromas, just hints of chocolates. Superbly delinated and inviting. Same on the palate, this shows complex, with perfectly ripe but not too ripe dark red and lots of blue berries, herbs, minerality, some hints of perfectly integrated oak only. Sexy but so fine and elegant. Superbly fine tannins, no hard edges, perfectly integrated acidity, creamy yet weightless texture, very long lasting finish. This is a stunning wine and the best right bank in this tasting. Ausone just delivers in weaker vintages: I scored the 2006, 2007, 2008 (pure magic, best off vintage Bdx ever for me), 2014 and now the 2012 all 95 pts or higher. I didn’t come across any other Bordeaux which is able to achieve that consistency. What sets these Ausone apart (and makes them easily identifiable in a blind tasting is the absolute purity, freshness and weightlessness, with lots of blue berries complementing the red fruit - something I don’t find to that degree in other right bank wines. 96 pts.

Decanting: This was good from the go. No extensive decanting needed.

Group rank: 1st out of 33 reds
Group average score: 96.1

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium expressive nose with a bit of intrusive oak, lots of minerality and not enough fruit to balance it out. On the palate, this shows better with fine red and blue berries, some herbal notes, lots of minerality but not a perfect balance as some fruit and sweetness is missing. Not overly complex and complete. Nevertheless, this is a good wine with a good structural frame. 91/92pts.

Decanting: A short decant should be sufficient.

Group rank: Shared 14th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 92.0

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium expressive nose with some ripe dark fruit, some herbal notes. On the palate this is quite light, not much depth, some ripe dark red and blue fruit, some minerality and herbs but not overly precise. Not enough concentration. The structure is without fault, though. Overall a pleasant wine but no winner. 90/91 pts.

Decanting: Didn’t seem to need much air, open from the start.

Group rank: Shared 25th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 90.8

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium expressive nose with fine, ripe dark red and blue fruit, herbs, minerality, a touch of coffee. Shows beautiful concentration. On the palate this has a nice attack with fine ripe fruit, herbs, minerality. No weight, absolute finesse but will certainly improve further. Good length. Not as complex as Ausone or Cheval in the flight before but still quite layered and with good precision and fine structural frame. This is another seductive and singing Conseillante in a long line of great wines made at this property, with more recent vintages probably reaching new highs. In hot vintages, it can often be a bit voluptuous, in need of a decade or two to shed its baby fat. This 2012, one of the best wines in this tasting, is ready to go. 94/95 pts.

Decanting: Needs no extended decanting.

Group rank: Shared 8th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 93.3

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium- expressive, very ripe nose with dark red fruit, herbs. A bit muted but you can sense that there is a lot of substance. On the palate the wine is a tad more open and shows more layered with ripe dark red fruit, some floral hints, chocolate, herbs and minerality. This has a very attractive sweetness. Same as on the palate, you can sense that this has more in store but is not fully open yet. Round tannins but still noticeable, well-integrated acidity. Good length. Overall quite complete but compared to other vintages, the absolute elegance and weightlessness is not yet apparent. Other right bank wines were drinking clearly better today but this was one of the more interesting wine with all its (slightly hidden) depth. 93/94 pts now but with a upside once the wine will open up more and hit maturity.

Decanting: This was one of the few right banks that seemed rather closed. Probably a longer decant could have helped here. Given the rarity, it’s probably just better two wait another decade or two.

Group rank: 13th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 92.5

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: On the nose, this was not showing much nuance. On the palate, however, this was much better. Nicely layered with ripe dark and dark red fruit, minerality, herbs, quite a weightless feel, round tannins, high but well-integrated acidity and a nicely creamy texture. With time more coffee and toasty notes complement the picture, adding more complexity and that touch of sexiness. Lots of fun to drink but not on the same level as Conseillante and Lafleur in terms of complexity and roundness. I have limited experience with Hosanna but this felt more concentrated and extracted than other vintages and a touch heavier than how I like Pomerol to be. Still, easily 93 pts.

Decanting: Needs no extended decanting.

Group rank: Shared 8th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 93.3

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium expressive nose with ripe dark fruit, herbs. On the palate more interesting with lots of fine oak, dark fruit, herbs as well as a touch minerality. Not too ripe with a nice freshness. Quite round and complete although not that deep. Fine tannins, good and well-integrated acidity, creamy texture. Overall quite balanced and fine. But not very long or deep. I think this was the first time, I’ve tried Kirwan and once revealed I was pleasantly surprised, especially as it wasn’t as far away from other Margauxs (think 93 pts for Palmer, 92 for Rauzan Segla) as I would have guessed it to be. 91/92 pts.

Decanting: Needs no extended decanting.

Group rank: 23rd out of 33 reds
Group average score: 91.0

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Not overly expressive nose, a bit disappointing. However, very fine and round on the palate with much more layers showing: Dark red and dark berries, some fresh herbs, crushed rocks, some coffee/toasty notes. This young, it didn’t show the beautiful floral notes, Palmer often has. As mentioned, wuite round and elegant with a creamy texture but no excess weight, fine, velvety tannins and a round and well-integrated medium acidity. Medium length only. This is a good vintage for Palmer and my guess is that, if I would have followed this wine over few hours, the nose would have been more open, even more complexity on the palate would have come through and the rating would be higher than the 92/93 pts. The potential is obvious.

Decanting: On the palate open but I guess the overall experience would have been better with 1-2 hours of decant.

Group rank: Shared 10th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 92.8

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Right from the start, this shows impressive. The wine jumps out of the glass and fills the room its seductive aromas. Highly expressive on the nose and palate displaying layer and layers of fine coffee and toasty aromas, fine red berries with additional blue and hints of darker fruit. Some tobacco and minerality notes too. Superb round structure with fine tannins, a perfectly integrated acidity, a creamy yet almost weightless texture, great length. Overall very complete and one of the best left bank wines in 2012. 95+ pts. Chateau Margaux produces great wines and is one of the more consistent Chateaux that produces great wines even in lesser vintages like 2011 (recently rated 96 pts), 2012 (rated 95 pts before) or 2008/2006 (both rated 95 pts). The great thing about Margaux is that it is open, singing and charming usually already from a young age and throughout its lifetime (much like Cheval Blanc on the right bank) and still it has a lot of ageing potential (but of course probably a touch less than Latour or Lafite).

Decanting: Needs no extended decanting, good from the go in this tasting.

Group rank: Shared 3rd out of 33 reds
Group average score: 95.0

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium expressive nose with ripe dark fruit and blueberries, herbs, minerality. Strangely, also some heat. Quite complete nose although not that expressive. On the palate this drinks quite well with an impeccable structure, fine, ripe, good sweetness, good concentration, fine tannins, high but well-integrated acidity. Good length. Overall solid but it pales in comparison to the Mouton in the same flight. Mouton is a charmer, open, singing and sexy, while Latour, unsurprisingly, is a more structured not yet 100% open and ready claret. It is quite obvious that this has the structure and fruit to age gracefully, become more open and add a few more points with 10, 20, 30 years in the cellar. Today this is drinking on a 92/93 pts level.

Decanting: My guess is that with a solid two hours in the decanter, this would have been more open.

Group rank: 12th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 92.6

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Fine, expressive, full of ripe dark fruit, crushed rocks. Quite a seductive and sensual bouquet for a wine that is usually not overly approachable in its youth. On the palate additional notes of blueberries, black currant, fine minerality, tobacco, some coffee notes. Quintessential Pauillac, quite complete and already a lot of fun to drink. Velvety tannins, no hard edges, well-measured and -integrated acidity, nice creaminess. This 2012 is quite great and one of the surprises for me: beside a magical 1900 Lafite, I’ve never had a vintage that made my knees weak (but I have limited experience) and hence, Lafite is my No. 5 only in the First Growth hierarchy. I see the classic contours and the finesse but the others show usually more depth without losing in the before mentioned categories. 94+ pts.

Decanting: This did not need much air. Good from the go. Usually, however, Lafite needs one or the other hour to open up.

Group rank: Shared 14th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 92.0

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Confirming an experience last year (rated 93 pts), this Comtesse is one of the better left banks today. Expressive nose with dark berries, blue fruit, coffee, toast. Sexy and inviting. On the palate this is beautiful with a rainbow of dark and blue fruit, floral notes, coffee, toast, minerality. Superbly delinated, quite complete, fine tannins, superbly integrated acidity, fine creamy but almost weightless texture, good length. Superb. Probably slightly coarse towards the end. Compared to the Mouton in the next glass, this had just a little bit less of everything. Still, this is quite good - foreshadowing what new highs this winery achieved in the years after (16/18/19). 94 pts today but probably not much upside from here.

Decanting: This was good from the go. No extensive decanting needed.

Group rank: Shared 5th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 93.8

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Very expressive nose full of coffee, toasty notes, ripe dark fruit, blue fruit and minerality, so inviting, so round and complete, perfectly delinated. Wow. On the palate this is so creamy, round, sexy but still sophisticated with a potpourri of dark, blue and red fruit, coffee, toast , minerality, tobacco. Absolutely round tannins, perfectly integrated acidity, creamy texture, no weight at all and a very long and expanding finish. Slightly more masculine, of course, than the Margaux in the flight before, but nevertheless, this is exceptional. For me, the best left bank wine tonight. In its typical style, Mouton seduces already at a young age. Compared to the Latour and Lafite in the same flight, this has that extra openness, the typical sexy coffee/burnt sugar notes which lure you in. 96 pts.

Decanting: This didn’t need a lot of swirling. Good from the start.

Group rank: 2nd out of 33 reds
Group average score: 95.3

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Finley toasted nose with fine dark fruit underneath. But overall not that exciting. On the palate this shows fine dark and blue fruit, some toasty notes, herbs but not overly deep. Quite fine structure, no excess weight. Overall a solid, without fault and a good structure but without anything exceptional. 92 pts seem appropriate and around these 92/93 pts is where I see Lynch in general - with exception of the great 1989/1990 vintages. Maybe some newer vintage will reach similar highs but this 2012 likely is has not necessary complexity.

Decanting: Didn’t seem to need much air. No extensive decanting needed.

Group rank: Shared 16th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 91.8

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Not overly expressive nose. On the palate this is slightly astringent and a touch of rusticy but with very fresh blue and dark fruit, and red berries, some minerality and herbs. The freshness and purity of the fruit are the clear highlight. Overall, however, this doesn’t have enough depth to fully convince. Solid but not much more. 90 pts.

Decanting: My guess is that this needs one to two hours in the decanter.

Group rank: 24th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 91.0

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: This was a rather difficult wine to assess as it seems still in complete lockdown mode. Not much expression on the nose and the openness on the palate is limited too. The tannin structure is without fault, but the acidity is a touch too pronounced and the texture misses a touch of creaminess. You can sense that there might be a few layers hidden here and there and that the wine will likely deliver a much better experience in 10 years time. Today, this is probably 90 pts at best. Even with some potential upside, this will likely never be one of the great vintage, of which there are many in the past 15 years.

Decanting: As it was rather muted, my guess is this would need 2 to 3 hours in the decanter - at least.

Group rank: Shared 16th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 91.8

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: This Calon clearly edged out the Montrose in the same flight (rated 90 pts). Calon Segur is a bold, ripe and sexy wine. Precise, sexy toasty and coffee notes, very ripe dark and blue fruit on the inviting nose. On the palate this is round and creamy, no weight and the same aroma profile. The ripeness and sweetness help to make this wine very approachable early on. But while many other left banks still have a lot of upside potential, I’m not fully convinced that this will age as gracefully as others. 94 pts is probably a peak rating for this wine.

Decanting: Needs no extended decanting.

Group rank: Shared 5th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 93.8

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Rather closed nose. Mineralic and a bit austere. On the palate this shows beautiful concentration but it is not fully open, not fully round, with slightly coarse tannins. A bit shy dark and red berries, loads of minerality and some herbs shine through. Overall still in a sleeping phase. Not really exciting this young and without prolonged decanting. 90 pts.

Decanting: My guess is that this would have been much better with a 3 to 4 hours decanting.

Group rank: 29th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 90.3

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Not overly expressive nose with red fruit and some oaky notes. Slightly drying finish. Not very good. What I like is the lightness and the purity of the red berries but overall and at this point this is underwhelming. No comparison to the vintages that followed in the years after 2012 which shine with their uniqueness, elegance and purity. 88/89 pts.

Decanting: I guess this would have needed two, three hours to open up more.

Group rank: Shared 25th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 90.8

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Medium expressive nose with dark fruit and red fruit, herbs, minerality and some hints of tobacco. I like the fine strawberry scents, and some floral notes I wouldn’t necessarily associate with Haut Brion. On the palate this shows beautiful red fruit, some toasty and coffee notes. Herbs, minerality. Beautiful fine tannins, well integrated acidity. What sets this HB apart from the other Pessacs in the this flight (PC, LMHB, LCHB) is the depth and tenderness. This has the depth to reach the level of the best left banks today (Margaux and Mouton) but it will need more cellaring to come fully open up, come together and get softer. 93/94 pts.

Decanting: My guess is that this wine needs at least two hours in the decanter today.

Group rank: Shared 10th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 92.8

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: I was lost in discussions, the wine seemed rather uninspiring and we then we had to move on to the next flight. Not rated.

Group rank: 30th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 90.0

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: This showed very well today and edged out the other St. Juliens. Quite ripe dark fruit on the nose and palate with a good minerality backbone, a nice salinity and some herbs. Thanks to the decadent fruit this drinks very well this young whereas the other St. Juliens need more time to fully open up. That made the difference today but is probably not reflective of the future potential. 92+ pts.

Decanting: Needs no extended decanting.

Group rank: Shared 19th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 91.5

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: This is medium expressive on the nose and palate with some coffee, toast, dark and blue fruit. Fine structure with round tannins, good freshness. Overall quite good. Probably slightly drying towards the finish. Usually I like Leoville Barton a bit more than this. Probably not their most successful vintage or a bad bottle. 91/92 pts.

Decanting: I would give this two hours of air.

Group rank: Shared 16th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 91.8

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Not overly expressive nose. On the palate ripe dark fruit, some luxurious oaky notes, a minerality and some earthy notes. Medium complex only but with a fairly good precision. A bit short and uninspiring towards the finish, but still overall very solid and with a beautiful fruit core. My guess is, that with a proper decant this would have opened up more. 92 pts.

Decanting: This seems to need two+ hours in the decanter.

Group rank: Shared 25th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 90.8

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Rather muted nose, some dark fruit but not very precise. On the palate this has a lot of substance and weight but is not open for business today. Like many Las Cases, this will probably need a very long time to come around. Today, this drinks at best on a 91 pts. level. Difficult to judge what is possible here but I got the impression that there is a lot of hidden depth there.

Decanting: This needs a lot of air but in my experience, it is hard to wake up a young LLC with decant. Better just wait another 10+ years.

Group rank: 28th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 90.5

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.

All wines tasted blind. Not decanted. A few observations: 1) 2012 is a good quality vintage without the depth/length of great vintages. Still, one of the better “off-vintages”. 2) Many but not all wines are drinking well today. They are generally open, round and fleshed out. 3) Further cellaring is advised as there are hardly any tertiary aromas yet and that extra complexity will render the wines more interesting. The wines generally have the structure and fruit to age gracefully. 4) The level of ripeness/alcohol are not a concern (09, 10, 15, 18 have more problems in that area). 5) Left bank (avg. 92.2 pts) beats right bank (91.0) (group has right bank a notch ahead). The overall group avg. score is at a good 92.1, but unsurprisingly below past retrospectives of better vintages (00, 09, 10). 6) There are highlights on both sides: my best wines today were Ausone (96 pts), Mouton (96), Cheval (95) and Margaux (95).

TN: Same as the Palmer before, there was not much expression on the nose. The palate, however, shows more with a fine core dark red berries, and additional layers of herbs and minerality. Round tannins but a bit coarse towards the end but not enough sweetness and depth to be very balanced or exciting. Overall a solid effort but not much more. Quite a stark contrast to the latest vintages (16/18/19) which show much more depth and one of the most elegant, fine and light expressions on the left bank. 91 pts.

Decanting: I would give it an hour+ in a decanter.

Group rank: Shared 19th out of 33 reds
Group average score: 91.5

More information, vintage comparisons, top and worst 10 list, appellation rankings from the group in the story link.